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Event actors (current and former) Tamika Poetzsch, Karen Scora, Karley Kowalski, Anjali Rai, Julie Cohn, Bonnie Caine, dressed in 1920s evening attire and posing for the camera.
Event actors (current and former) Tamika Poetzsch, Karen Scora, Karley Kowalski, Anjali Rai, Julie Cohn, Bonnie Caine, dressed in 1920s evening attire and posing for the camera.
Photo: Many Happy Returns. Photo by Kristine Harding feat. Tamika Poetzsch, Karen Scora, Karley Kowalski, Anjali Rai, Julie Cohn, Bonnie Caine.

Travel back in time Travel back in time

to New Year’s Eve 1926 in this unique immersive & interactive theatre experience.

Photo: Many Happy Returns. Photo by Kristine Harding feat. Tamika Poetzsch, Karen Scora, Karley Kowalski, Anjali Rai, Julie Cohn, Bonnie Caine.

Home Events Performance TOFringe: Many Happy Returns

TOFringe: Many Happy Returns

From Tuesday, June 30 to Sunday, July 12, 2026 – BEARS! In The City! presents Many Happy Returns, a one-of-a-kind, high-energy show. Set during New Year’s Eve 1926, it’s a group-based, interactive, immersive performance with artifacts to find, intriguing guests to meet and mysteries to unravel. Presented as part of the 2026 Toronto Fringe Festival at Society Clubhouse.

It’s New Year’s Eve: December 31, 1926 – capers & thrills are afoot!

Many Happy Returns combines elements of an escape room, murder mystery, logic puzzle, heist, role-play, dress-up, queer love story, New Year’s Eve party and 1920s speakeasy. Make new friends as you collaborate on a mysterious heist. Use teamwork to learn, plan and manipulate the events of a swinging party to retrieve the 10 artifacts before your time travel abilities wear off.

Will you succeed? Or will you find yourself trapped in an endless loop in this race against the clock?

Your ticket time includes a 30-minute cocktail reception to get a drink and meet your co-operatives, a 60-minute performance, and post-show mingling and party vibes.

Every show is entirely different, based on your choices and what plots you decide to be part of, so come back and see it again. Adapted from the original by IntrigueX and directed by BEARS! In The City! Artistic and Creative Director Julie Cohn. They’ll have new performers, new characters and new hijinks just for you – and they’d love for you to join them!

From an award-winning team with a sold-out production history

Julie is a celebrated veteran of Fringe festivals, with accolades including: Best of Fringe, for Meet Cute (Direction – Toronto Fringe, 2015); top five Vancouver Fringe Show, for Sorry ‘Bout That (Creation, Direction, Acting – National Fringe Tour, 2013); Is That How Clowns Have Sex? (Devising, Direction – National Fringe Tour, 2018); and The Affinity Initiative (Acting – Edinburgh Fringe, 2021).

Many Happy Returns’ knockout history includes sold-out performances at six different venues across Toronto with rave reviews; a smash-hit benefit show for Glad Day Books, raising almost $2,000 for the queer community; and winner of the No Proscenium Audience Award, Immie, for Outstanding Immersive Work, 2025. The adventure continues at Toronto Fringe 2026!

“I had such an amazing time at this production… These performers are masterful… If you’re feeling like a fun and glamourous night out, Many Happy Returns is the show for you!… You definitely don’t want to miss out on Many Happy Returns.”

– Janine Marley, A View from the Box

About BEARS! In The City!

BEARS! In The City! is a Toronto-based multi-media production company that strives to create a unique world of joy through play, comedy and abandon for themselves and their audience. Artistic and Creative Director Julie Cohn enjoys sharing compelling stories with integrity and is passionate about anti-oppression. Their artistic mandate is to entertain, enlighten and inspire.

About the Toronto Fringe Festival

Founded in 1989, the Toronto Fringe Festival welcomes approximately 75-140 companies from around Canada and the world to 5-30 theatre venues in downtown Toronto. Over the course of 13 days every July, over 1,200 artists participate in performances across the city, including comedy, drama, musicals, improvisation, storytelling, children’s theatre, dance and much more. Read more about the 2026 Toronto Fringe Festival here.

A collage of images of event-goers and performers at Many Happy Returns. In the middle, an illustration of a woman in fancy 1920's evening attire. Beside the illustration is the text Many Happy Returns Celebrating 101 years this January! Below that is highlighted text that reads Bears! In The City and below that the tag @bears_in_the_city.

(Photo credits: Many Happy Returns 100 Years Composite, featuring cast members (current and former) Anjali Rai, Bonnie Caine, Cassidy Sadler, Karen Scora, Karley Kowalski, Kat Welsh, Jing Cui, Maddie Rose, Saint Stella, Shana Rose, Tamika Poetzsch, Julie Cohn)

Event details

Presented by: BEARS! In The City! 

Type of event: group-based interactive & immersive theatrical experience

Adapted & directed by: Julie Cohn (adapted from the original by IntrigueX)

Cast: Angela Stevenson, Anjali Rai, Cassidy Sadler, Jing Cui, Karen Scora, Madelaine Rose, Shana Rose & Julie Cohn. Read about the cast & show experience here.

Dates & times: The Toronto Fringe Festival runs from Tuesday, June 30 – Sunday, July 12, 2026.

Many Happy Returns runs from Tuesday, June 30 – Sunday, July 12, with varying times on the following dates.

Please note: The performance times shown here & in the Toronto Fringe Web Guide reflect the beginning of the 30-minute cocktail reception, which is followed by the 60-minute caper/main event. The printed Fringe Program Guide performance times are aligned with the start of this 60-minute caper.

  • Tuesday, June 30 @ 7:15 PM ET
  • Wednesday, July 1 @ 4:00 PM ET
  • Thursday, July 2 @ 10:00 PM ET
  • Sunday, July 5 @ 9:00 PM ET
  • Monday, July 6 @ 7:15 PM ET
  • Tuesday, July 7 @ 7:15 PM ET
  • Thursday, July 9 @ 6:45 PM ET
  • Sunday, July 12 @ 2:00 PM ET

Duration: 90 minutes (30-minute cocktail reception, followed by a 60-minute show)

Cost: A C$3.75 service fee is included in all prices.

  • Single ticket general admission: C$19.00
  • 6-play Festival pass: C$106.50
  • 10-play Festival pass: C$170.00
  • 20-play Festival pass: C$340.00
  • 30-play Festival pass: C$450.00
  • *Ways to save: Info here. Please note, some of these options may not apply to this show.

Location: Society Clubhouse, 967 College Street, Toronto, ON, M6H 1A6

Trailer: Watch the trailer

Booking link: Book your tickets here

Contact details: Toronto Fringe Festival, 100 Broadview Ave., Suite 300, Toronto, ON, M4M 3H3, Canada; (416) 966-1062, general@fringetoronto.com, fringetoronto.com

 

Content warning: For audiences 19+. Occasional loud cheering. People from the Past may depict use of alcohol, intoxication, and/or altered states. Many Happy Returns is a cocktail-party style adventure. Guests will mingle and chat directly with the People from the Past to unravel their mysteries. No one will be singled out or put “on stage”. Read more by clicking on ‘Content Advice’ on the show page.

Accessibility: This is an accessible venue. Venue accessibility info here. General Festival accessibility info here.

COVID-19 policy: Stay home if you feel sick, have any symptoms, or have had a recent close contact with COVID-19. The Fringe does not have understudies, so please take every precaution to protect our staff, volunteers and artists from becoming ill.

Refund policy: No refunds. 100% of ticket revenue goes directly to the artists, so Toronto Fringe does not offer refunds on tickets or passes. There are no refunds for any unused portions of a pass.